The main action of Thursday's Paris Fashion Week began and ended with two storied brands, Chloé and Schiaparelli, strutting their stuff with verve, the former with a debut, the latter with new momentum.
Schiaparelli: Elsa's spirit is alive and well
Like the strangely bombastic soundtrack, Schiaparelli's latest collection seemed made to make a point. In other words, Daniel Roseberry is perfectly capable of creating commercially successful ready-to-wear.
So far, Roseberry has done remarkable work with Schiaparelli couture, dressing dozens of top actresses, singers and international stars on red carpets and editorial shoots.
Although in ready-to-wear, despite all the praise, the house has only opened four small stores along with its own boutique on the third floor on the Place Vendôme. This collection should certainly change all that, as Daniel merged multiple codes into very wearable, yet eye-catching ensembles.
Staged inside the Pavillon Vendôme, an exhibition space previously used by dozens of brands, this felt much more like a conventional show, compared to Roseberry's grand couture outings under the giant frescoes of the Petit Palais.
The American designer made fantastic beige and gray trouser suits, with lapels adorned with Schiap's favorite measuring tapes; while the founder's penchant for ideas of active sports was evident in cargo pants, fencer's corsets and sprinter's clothing tailored to elegant cocktail parties.
While Roseberry's American education in denim appeared in a large denim jacket and skirt with puffed shoulders, finished with pearl buttons. Oversized pea coats and peacoats in navy or ecru twill looked great and very new with their quadruple lines of buttons.
Best of all, her use of costume jewelry on body parts seemed much less theatrical and much more elegant as a signifier of the brand's DNA.
In his program notes, Daniel expressed the desire for these individual pieces to be considered “future vintage.” Just as Elsa Schiaparelli's jewelry and her own handbags with anatomical accessories for the brand have become instant classics.
The show was the first since L Catterton and LVMH acquired a 46% stake in Tod's Group, the owner of Schiaparelli, and this looked like a very successful next chapter in the house's development. LVMH top brass Sidney Toledano sat beaming in the front row.
Daniel titled the collection 'Esprit de Schiap' and it seems his spirit is alive and well.
Chloé: Chemena Kamali debuts with momentum
Paris loves a fashion premiere and enjoyed an impressive one on Thursday, with the premiere of Chemena Kamali for the house of Chloé.
As a brand, Chloé is in many ways the ultimate expression of Parisian joie de vivre, which is why Kamali's debut did so well.
The German-born designer capitalized on Chloé's glory days in the 1960s, an era of rapid change and marked alterations in tastes and morals, much like our current era.
With a chic and elegant hippie style, Chemena launched wonderful chiffon blouses; micro layers in elegant leather; barely-there lingerie is worn with thigh-high boots; or flared jeans worn with platform cowboy boots.
Her color palette was strict: beige, brick, black and a little ruby. Which made the entire collection very focused.
“This collection is about intuition, freedom, instinctive feminine energy… Chloé allows you to be yourself; she does not transform you. Follow your intuition,” Kamail insisted.
It didn't make much sense why the house decided to put on this show in a gloomy old post office building where everyone and their grandmother has been parading this year in men's and women's clothing.
Distracting attention from the Gallic freshness of these garments. But other than that, this was a very confident debut, which distinguishes Kamali as a designer to watch.
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